5 Key Factors:
Improve intrapersonal development Build a better lifestyle Environment Guarantee the quality of veg and enjoy seasonal vegetables Lower living cost
Improve Intrapersonal Development for Everyone
Gardening can create a sense of responsibility and control. Gardening is an excellent way for kids to develop new skills and acquire about nature and science from growing their own food (Better Health 2023). Gardening can educate kids and adults to build a sense of responsibility, cooperation and creativity (Better Health, 2023). Therefore, gardening could be meaningful for you and your kids to make a better life.
Apart from kids' development, you can practice your intrapersonal skills, such as enhancing openness, self-esteem, self-efficacy and optimism (Koay and Dillon, 2020).
Hence, gardening can strengthen individual resilience factors.
Promote Better Mental Health
Gardening can reduce stress and tension from everyday pressures. According to Van Den Berg and Custers (2010) research, gardening can lower cortisol levels, the chemical our bodies produce in response to stress. Hence, gardening can relieve the stress from your daily life. Gardening is a great option to lower pressure and escape reality.
Apart from stress, gardening is one of the physical activities. In fact, CDC (2022) determined that you can burn up to 300 calories from gardening for 30 minutes. Also, your body can increase serotonin— a 'happy hormone' through exposure to the sunlight from gardening (CDC 2022). As well as this, you can enhance your mood while you are gardening. There is a strong association between exercise and mood; while carrying out physical activity, you can improve self-confidence and mood (Peluso & de Andrade 2005).
Hence, gardening can effectively promote your mental health and physical health.
Improving Environment
Gardening helps the environment by reducing air and noise pollution, protecting local wildlife, minimising carbon footprint and reducing the size of landfills.
How can gardening reduce noise and air pollution? Stems, trunks and thick leaves of the plant can absorb the excess noise (Fan et al., 2010). Therefore, if you live near a highway or a busy road, a garden with various trees and plants can assist you in lowering the annoying engine and honks sounds.
Locally growing your food can reduce the carbon footprint by reducing food transportation (Fan et al., 2010). Meanwhile, by planting more shrubs and trees in the garden, more oxygen can be released and improving the air quality surrounding our home.
Guarantee the quality of veg and enjoy seasonal vegetables
You can enjoy the best quality and rich nutrients by growing your own food. According to Anthearn et al. (2021), the nutrients of fresh vegetables will gradually lose. Therefore, the vegetables you harvest from your garden can absorb higher nutritional content than the identical vegetable that has spent several days sitting in transport, store displays and storage.
Lower living cost
How about cutting the cost of living while the prices of groceries skyrocket? Start gardening is a cost-effective method to lower the living cost. You can estimate the costs and savings from vegetable gardens more easily than purchasing from the market. According to Anthearn et al. (2021), the cost of buying vegetables depends on the market and interest rate. But if you are growing your own plant, the variables are controllable, which includes gardening costs and the size of your harvest.
Conclusion
Starting gardening can enhance our living quality and improve our intrapersonal skills. Despite that, we can cut off the skyrocketing living cost and acquire more nutritious vegetables.
Don't forget to get a pair of protective gardening gloves before starting gardening~
Reference
Anthearn, K, Wooten, H, Felter, L, Campbell, CG, Ryals, JM, Lollar, MC, Popenoe, J, Bravo, L, Duncan, L, Court, C and Wilber, W 2021, Costs and Benefits of Vegetable Garden, University of Florida, accessed 29 Jan 2023, <https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FE1092 >
Better Health 2023, Gardening for children, accessed 29 Jan 2023, < https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/gardening-for-children >
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2022, Physical Activity for a Healthy Weight, accessed 29 Jan 2023, <https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/physical_activity/index.html>
Fan Y, Zhiyi, B, Zhu, Z and Jiani, L 2010, The Investigation of Noise Attenuation by Plants and the Corresponding Noise-Reducing Spectrum, Journal of Environmental Health, Vol. 72, no. 8 , pp. 8-15, accessed 29 Jan 2023,
Koay, WI & Dillon, D 2020, Community Gardening: Stress, Well-Being, and Resilience Potentials, Vol.17, No.18, pp. 6740, accessed 29 Jan 2023, <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7558991/ >
Marco Aurélio Monteiro Peluso, Laura Helena Silveira Guerra de Andrade 2005, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND MENTAL HEALTH: THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN EXERCISE AND MOOD, Clinics, Volume 60, Issue 1, Pages 61-70, accessed 29 Jan 2023,
< https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1807593222032173>
Peluso MA, Guerra de Andrade LH. Physical activity and mental health: the association between exercise and mood. Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2005 Feb;60(1):61-70. doi: 10.1590/s1807-59322005000100012. Epub 2005 Mar 1. PMID: 15838583. accessed 29 Jan 2023, <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15838583/ >
Van Den Berg AE, Custers MH. Gardening promotes neuroendocrine and affective restoration from stress. J Health Psychol. 2011 Jan;16(1):3-11. doi: 10.1177/1359105310365577. Epub 2010 Jun 3. PMID: 20522508. accessed 29 Jan 2023, < https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20522508/ >
Image:
Bajic, I, Sustainable Development, Canva, accessed 29 Jan 2023, < www.canva.com >
Cyano66, Cost of Living, Canva, accessed 29 Jan 2023, < www.canva.com >
EbeMajestic12, Home Garden, Canva, accessed 29 Jan 2023, < www.canva.com >
Katecat, Mental Health Concept, Canva, accessed 29 Jan 2023, < www.canva.com >
JillWellington, Vegetables on A Basket, Canva, accessed 29 Jan 2023, < www.canva.com >